How to make Women’s Day work for you

Many of us are inspired and motivated by strong, independent women. We look to them for strength when we need support; we hope our daughters learn from them. The thing is that with a bit of intentional living, you too can become one of those strong, independent role models.

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass. — Maya Angelou

Throughout history women have been called the fairer sex, weaker, in need of protection, and for the most part we’ve believed it. When I say ‘believed it’… hmm, perhaps I mean we’ve let it slide. For the sake of peace, you know. In reality, it seems, women are, quite often, a little hard to handle. For some reason we just won’t be told what we can or can’t do, how to dress or what behaviour is suitable and acceptable in the eyes of our strong, capable and ever-protective male custodians.

“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.” – Katharine Hepburn

When we do think for ourselves, follow through with our plans and choose our own acceptable behaviours, we veer right away from the rebellion that’s expected of us and into self-actualisation – which can only be good for all involved. Women have flatly refused to be downtrodden in what has always been a patriarchal world. And because of it we’ve changed the world.

Women have influenced:

Women’s rights

Politics

Medicine and nursing

Social reform

Religion

Education

They’ve been:

Heads of State

Inventors and scientists

Doctors

Writers

Educators

You can go here to find out who the greatest women influencers have been throughout history. They’re relevant but not the focus of this post.

In the meantime, take note: Women have not got where we are today by toeing the line. Now, I’m not saying here that it’s time to stand up and change the world, or even that you should rebel against sensible advice. It’s much more complicated than that, and requires a lot more courage: Stand up and change YOUR world. Choose the life you want to have, working in the career you’d love to be in, and then take action. Follow each step in the process to make your dreams happen.

“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” – Helen Keller

That is what Women’s Day is all about: today’s your day. Choose your path and take that first step.

While I’m at all this telling, if you need help getting your dreams ‘out there’ or making your business known, I know a great team of women who are poised to help you: www.axent.co.za

Happy Women’s Day.

Jane Hendry is Writer-in-Chief for aXent Associates. Her passion for education has led her to home school her children, and she reads voraciously to quench her own insatiable thirst for knowledge. Follow Jane on Twitter or Google+. Visit her blog to read about content marketing and life-long learning.